Variable-speed gear for motor vehicles, cyles, or the like.



No. 697,l53. Patented Apr. '8, I902.

J. R. MADAN.

VARIABLE SPEED GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, CYCLES, OR THE LIKE.(Application filed Mar. 15, 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

INVENTflR WIN/[8553. B,

No. 697,513. Patented Apr. 8, I902 J. R. MADAN.

VARIABLE SPEED GEAR FDR MOTOR VEHICLES, CYCLES, OR THE LIKE.

(Application filed Mar. 15, 1901.) (No Model.)

El? Pa* 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

IN VE N 705 WITNESSES:

A 770/?NEY8 THE uamzis PUERs cu. PymY'a-u'mu, WASNINGTON, o. c.

Patented Apr..8, I902.

4 SheetsSheet 3.

AT'IOPNEYS v J. n. MADAN. VARIABLE SPEED GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES,CYCLES, OR THE LIKE.

(Application filed Mar. 15, 1901) (No Model.)

Patented Apr. 8, I902. J. R. MADAN.

VARIABLE SPEED GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, CYCLES, OR THE LIKE.

UNrrr: STATES inranr OFFFIcE.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, CYLES, OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,153, dated April 8,1902.

Original application filed July 14, 1900. Serial No. 23,612. Divided andthis application'iiled March 15, 1901. fierial To aZZ whom it mayconcern:

Beit known that l, J AMES RUSSELL lVlADAN, asubject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and a resident of Downton, Salisbury, in the countyof Wilts, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVariable-Speed Gear for Motor Vehicles, Cycles, or the Like, (for whichI have made application for patent in Great Britain, dated May 5, 1900;in France, dated September 15, 1900; in Belgium, dated September 15,1900, and in Germany, dated September 18, 1900,) of which the followingis a specification.

This case is a division of an earlier application filed by me July 14,1000, and serially numbered 23,612.

My invention relates to variable-speed gear of the kind described in myprior patent application,filed July 14, 1900, Serial No.23,612, andadapted for motor cars, cycles, and the like.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a compact andsimple variable-speed gear of the free-wheel type adapted to give two orthree different speeds and a reversing motion by the simple looking orunlocking of one or more parts. The toothed Wheels of the gear willalways be in engagement, so as to avoid shocks and strains when the gearis changed.

I will describe my invention in reference to the accompanying drawings,which show the gear as designed for a motor-car.

Figure 1 is a part side elevation with parts broken away to show theinternal arrangements. Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1 with part of thegear-wheels shown in full. Fig. 3 is a plan of the gear at a smallerscale, and Figs. l and 5 are details. Fig. 6 is a sectional viewillustrating the one-way clutches.

NX and NY are two collars or sleeves fixed to the hub or axle M andsupporting two toothed ringsB and 0, one on either side of a toothedwheel A, mounted free upon the axle M between the collars NX and NY. Thetoothed ring B is connected to the collar NX, so as to drive the axle Min one direction only, by a'clutch or free-wheel mechanism of suitablekind, such as spring-pressed bolts or teeth FX in the collar NX,engaging recesses bin the ring B. The toothed ring 0 is connected, so asto drive the collar NY, by clutch (N0 model.)

FY in a similar manner to the ring B, but is arranged to drive in theopposite direction.

The side face of the boss of the gear-wheel A clutches FA may be putinto or out of position for engagement with the wheel A. The wheel Awill be entirely free in both directions when the collar is movedoutward. Two side plates X and Y are also provided adapted to run freeon ball or other bearingsmand y, respectively, upon the collars NX NY orthe rings B and O, referred to, and these plates X and Y carry fixedstuds RX and RY, acting as axles for two series of rotating double spurWheels OX and OY. The outer halves o of the double spur-wheels on eachside gear with the rings B and C, while the inner halves 0 gear withinternally-toothed rim a and externally-toothed rim a upon the drivenspur-wheel A.

X X Y Y are annular side plates serving as supports for the axles RX RYand being secured to the side plates X and Y by intermediate bolts ry.The intermediate plates X Y are provided with apertures 00 where thedouble spur-wheels are situated, while the inner plates X Y receive theends of axles RX RY, which are countersunk therein. The outer ends ofthe axles are passed through the side plates X and Y and secured bynuts, as shown. The axles RX RY carry distancing-sleeves W. In the caseof the axles RX RY the distancing-sleeve W Will be continuous, while thesleeves upon the intermediate bolts ry will be divided to receive andsecure the intermediate plates X Y, as shown in Fig. 4. The peripheriesof the plates X and X and Y and Y are connected by plates or flanges PP, suitably recessed to form grooves adaped to receive band-brakes Q Qfor looking the side plates against movement, or, equivalently, theparts may be provided with ratchet-teeth adapted to be engaged bysuitably-arranged pawls for the same purpose.

In a gear constructed and arranged as above the operation is as follows:Assuming the wheel A to be driven by the motor in the direction of thearrow 1, by sliding the collar G outward by means of theconnecting-lever L (see Fig. 3) the clutch-bolts FA are withdrawn andtheenginedisconnected. Thegear-wheel A being entirely free, no power iscommunicated to the axle M. It the collar G is slid inward, theclutch-bolt FA comes into action and the gear-wheel A drives the axle Mat its normal speed. If the collar G is slid outward, so as to withdrawthe clutchbolts FA from action, and the side plate Y is locked by meansof the brake Q or other lock-- ing-catch upon part P, then the doublespurwheels OY come into action, the power being communicated from wheelA by externallytoothed rim-a to the inner half of the double spur-wheelOY and by the other half 0' thereof to the toothed ring 0 by the clutchmechanism FY and collar NY to theaxle M, the axle being driven at alower speed or higher speed than A, according to the relative dimensionsof the inner and outer halves of the double spur-wheels. It will not benecessary to withdraw the clutch-bolts FA where the double spur-wheelsOY are arranged to in.-

. crease thespeed, as in this ,case the clutchboltsF-A; will overrun thewheel A; For obtaining a reversed motion of the axles the clutch-boltsFA are withdrawn and the side plate X is locked. Then the power istransmittfidfby the internally-toothed rim a to the double spur-wheelsOX and thence by the ring-B and clutch FX to the axle M in the directionof the arrow 2. This reversed motion is-obtained by the arrangement ofthe externally-toothed rim a on one side of the wheel A and theinternally-toothed rim a on the other'side, the clutches FY and FXbeing, as before mentioned, oppositely arranged.

Thelever L for operating the collar G and the brake-bands Q Q, bolts, orcatches for locking theside plates or their parts P may be arranged'foroperation by suitable connecting-levers, wires, or rods from aconveniently-disposed handle,and in some cases they maybespring-operated.

Fig. 5 shows a modified construction of the gear, wherein the side ring0 is carried up around the double spur-wheels OY and gears wit-hthe sameby means of an internallytoothed rim 0; The inner half of the doublespnr-wheel OY also gears with the gear-wheel A'by an internally-toothedrima The side plates Y Y Y will be appropriately arranged, the centralplate Y being formed, as at P, to receive the locking brake-bands, asbefore. The-action of this gear will be exactlysimilarto'thathereinbefore described with the exceptionthat thearrangement of internallytoothed rims will aflord greater strength inuse Speed-gears constructed as above described arecompact, light, andsimple and are adaptedfor alteration by the simple operations describedto two speeds-driving or a reversin g motionand whatever gear may be inuse the free-wheel mechanism is always available, so'that if the engineis stopped no strain is set up tnereln by the continued movement of thecar-axle.

The improved speed-gear can be readily fitted to existing cars, and ifcombined with a three-speed gear, as described in my prior patentapplication referred to, six speeds forward and three reversing may beobtained, so that very slight rises in speed can be provided for, thusavoiding great strain on the wheels and mechanism of the car.

Having now described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. Theimproved variable-speed and reversing gear comprising thecombination with the axle of two toothed rings, oppositely-actingone-direction clutch mechanisms, connecting said rings and axle, agear-wheeldisposed-between the toothed rings, one-direction clutchmechanism between said gear-wheel and axle, a set of independent doublespur-wheels on one side of the gear-wheel gearing with the said toothedring on that side and an internally-toothed rim on the gear-wheel andanother set of independent double spur-wheels on the other side of thegear-wheel gearing with the toothed ring on that side and anexternally-toothed rim on the gear-wheel and means for entirelydisengaging the clutch between the main gear-wheel and the axle, allsubstantially as set forth.

2. The improved variable-speed gear comprising the combination with anaxle of agearwheel, two collars fixed to the axle on either side of saidgear-wheel, one-direction clutch mechanism between said gear-wheel andone of the collars, means for withdrawing the clutch between the collarand gear-wheel so as toallow the latter to run free in both directions,a toothed rim on one side of the gear- :wheel and a toothed rim on theother side of the gear-wheel, two sets of double spur wheels, one oneach side of said gear-wheel, the inner halves gearing respectivelywiththe said toothed rims thereon, toothed rings disposed upon the fixedcollars at each side of the gear-wheel and gearing with the outer halvesof the said double spur-wheels suitable one-direction clutch mechanismbetween each toothed ring and its collar, the clutch mechanism on oneside driving in the opposite direction to that on the other, and meansfor holding and releasing the side plates which carry the doublespur-wheels when it is required to vary the gear all substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

3. The improved variable-speed gear comprising the combination withshaft M, collars NX and NY, toothed rings 13 and C and gearwheel Ahaving toothed rims a a of double spur-wheels OX OY, axles RX RYrespectively for said double spur-wheels, plates respectively X X and YY supporting said axles RX RY, intermediate plates X Y hav In witnesswhereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscrlbing Witnesses.

JAMES RUSSELL MADAN. Witnesses:

REGINALD EATON ELLIS, HENRY A. PRYOR.

